Mary a



(No Model.) 2 sheets-Snead.

Y M A NEWBLL SANITARY PENCIL BOX.

Patented June. 4, 1895.

2 Sheets-Sheet: 2.

(No ModeL) M. A.'1\I1 =1V\TELL.,V SANITARY PENGIL BOX.

Patented June 4, 1895.

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MARY A. NEWELL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SANITARY PENCIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,268, dated J' une 4;, 1895.

n Application filed August 20, 1894. Serial No. 520,826. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY A. NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, Marion county, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Pencil-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pencil distributers for schools, and it consists substantially in such features of improvement as will hereinafter be more particularly described.

It very frequently happens that contagious diseases are caused to become spread or cornmunicated among children in schools by reason of the habit of placing to their mouths the ends of the pencils they use and which may previously have been used by some other scholar or person afflicted with some disease of the tongue or mouth. The cause of this is largely due to the carelessness in which the pencils are gathered or collected at the end of each day, and the indiscriminate manner in which they are again distributedor dealt out to the scholars each morning; it being usual in some instances to simply place the pencils all together in a box or other receptacle and to allow the scholars to "select therefrom without regard to whether they select their own particular pencil or one belonging to some other scholar. This practice is also objectionable for the reason that many times a scholar is obliged to take onlya small fragment of a pencil whereas the pencil belonging to that scholar might be one that has been used but very little and consequently much larger in size. Some attempts have been made to provide for the distribution of pens and pencils in schools but they are all vopen to more or less objection and the results thus far derived have not been altogether satisfactory. For instance in one former arrangement it has been proposed to provide a cabinet or case havinga number of drawers or slides (corresponding to the number of rows or tiers of desks in a school room), and to construct each drawer or slide with a number of grooves or receptacles (corresponding to the number of desks in each row or tier). In another instance a disk or standhas been provided with a series of holes or openings corresponding with the number of desks or scholars in a room, and adapted to receive and hold the pencils in place simply by inserting one end thereof, the pencils and openings being provided with corresponding designating numerals. As devised, the first of these two forms is objectionable onaccount of failing to provide against the spread of disease by contamination, since all of the pencils in each drawer or slide are practically contained in the same space or inclosure, andbesides, they are very apt to come in contact with each other by jolting in the act of inserting or withdrawing the drawers or slides. The second form referred` to islbjectionable for the reason that the pencils arevery apt to be brokenoft in the tray due to the eagerness and hurry with which the scholars sometimesA attempt to remove them, and then again the construction of the disk combined with its base or stand is comparatively expensive to make.

The object of my invention is to overcome the objections above noted, as well as other objections common to further well known forms of these devices, and to provide apencil distributer for schools in which there is no liability ofthe pencils becoming broken, or of coming into contact Awith each other either when collected together or during the distribution thereof among the scholars or pupils.

A still further object is to provide a device of the character referredrto in which there is no likelihood or liability of the pencils becoming mixed or mistaken in identity.

These objects I attain by the means illus` trated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in perspective of a complete pencil-distributer embodying the features of my improvement7 and constituted of a number of separate cases nested within a box, each case being constructed to receive and supporta number or series of pencils. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the cases, the box being in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View thereof to more clearly indicate the construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of one of the cases. Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of another form of the case, the closing-flap being open; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section thereof, the flap being closed.

In carrying my invention into elfect I provide a suitable box or receptacle A of rectangular or other preferred shape, and which may be made of any material desired and provided with a suitable top or lid B. Nested within said box or receptacle are a number of separate and removable cases l, each of a length preferably to lit snugly between two sides of the box or receptacle, but also of a height not quite reaching to the top of said box, so as to leave a space sufficient to accom modate the projecting ends of the pencils 2, which are held or supported in the several cases.

In oneinstance, I construct the case of outer sections, 3, 4, respectively, the outer section 4, being open at the bottom and closed at the top, and in the top thereof there is formed a number or series of openings 5, for the reception of the pencils 2, each case in the present instance being provided with eight of such openings, although it is evident, ofcourse, that the number could be easily varied. Each opening 5 is provided with a ring or lining G, of rubber or other elastic material, which when the pencils are inserted and pushed downwardly, will become compressed around the said pencils in such manner as to firmly hold them to whateverposition they may be brought. Instead of these rubber rings, I might employ small springs or clip fastenings, which of course, are intended to be included within my invention. The rings herein are made from a single strip I/V.

As shown, the openings in the tops ot' the outer sections of the cases are numbered beginning with the numeral l in the present instance, and ending with the numeral 56, there being eight cases in the box. The pencils are formed or provided also with corresponding designating numerals, and when inserted in place they extend downwardly in the case, as shown.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the inner telescopic section 3 is formed with a series of vertical compartments 7, divided by partitions 8, there beingin each case eight of such compartments corresponding to the number of pencils each is designed to hold. The said compartments also correspond in position to the openings in the top of the outer section 4 of the case, so that the pencils extend into the same accordingly as they are inserted into their' proper openings. Preferably the pencils are inserted by their sharpened ends so that their points will be protected, and it will be understood also that another purpose in so placing them into position is to prevent the contact of any two or more pencil points which would be just as liable to spread or communicate disease as if two scholars had used or handled the same pencil. It will thus be seen that I have amply provided against contamination byy contact, as each pencil has a compartment to itself between the partitions 8.

In order to absolutely guard against the spread or communication of disease I preferably also give to the inner and outer sections of each case a suitable corresponding designating character as a-a, b-b, dac., so that there will be no danger of ever placing the outer sections over any but their own individual, inner sections.

In distributing the pencils, the teacher simply removes each case and passes them in order to the scholars in the front rows of desks, each of whom after selecting his or her pencilpasses the case to the next scholar, and so on, and then the cases are passed back to the teacher, who places them in the box A, which is usually kept on the teachers desk. When the pencils are to be collected, the said cases are handed to the scholars in like manner as before, and they stick or insert their pencils in the proper places, whereupon the cases and contained pencils are handed back to the teacher or person in charge, who places them in their proper positions in the box. In this way, there can never be any confusion or mistake, and each scholar will be sure to always have his or her own pencil.

In placing the pencils within the openings, they are left to project above the tops ot the cases, so that the numerals thereon will be readily distinguished.

As another way of making the case, I sometimes construct the 'same as shown in Figs. 5 and G. In these figures it will be observed that the case is formed of a single section only instead of two telescopic sections, and the bottom thereof is closed bya cover or flap l0 which closes into the space ll formed between one of the sides l2 of the case and a partition 13 situated within and parallel to said side. ith this form the same vertical compartments are used as are also the openings in the top of the case for the reception of the pencils.

From the foregoing description it is thought my invention will be thoroughly understood, and,

Without limiting myself to the precise details shown and described, I claiml. In a pencil distributer, a box or receptacle having a number of removable cases contained or nested therein, each case being divided into a number of separate compartments, and each compartment being formed or provided with an opening in its top adapted to receive'and support a pencil, substantially as described.

2'. In a pencil distributer, a box or receptacle having a number of removable cases contained or nested therein, each case being closed all around and provided with a number of vertical compartments, each compart- IOO ment being formed in its top With an opening 'l surrounded by a rim of elastic material, substantially as described.

3. In a pencil distributer, a boX or receptacle having a numberof removable cases nested or contained therein, each case being formed of telescopic sections and divided into a series of vertical compartments, and each compartment having an opening in its top surrounded by a ring of elastic material, substantially as 1o described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MARY A. NEWELL.

Vitnesses:

S. C. NEWELL, H. S. GOODE. 

